Blood Apostle

The Blood Apostle has endured dark rites to access vile thaumaturgy that grants mastery over the manipulation of blood. Their abilities are tied to their life force and using one will require the sacrifice of their health or the health of others.

Requirements

Alignment: Any Evil

Feats: Toughness, Willing Deformity, Awaken Blood

Special: The character must have a background involving a ritual to learn blood thaumaturgy.

DM Unlock: This Prestige Class is locked by default. DMs can unlock it for characters who meet all of the requirements. A DM may ask you a few questions before granting this PrC to you.

Hit Die: d12

Proficiencies: None

Skill Points: 2 + INT

Class Skills: Concentration, Craft (all), Discipline, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (all), Lore, Parry, Persuade, Profession (all), Sense Motive, Taunt

Level Progression

Lvl	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Class Features	Available Abilities
1st	+0	+2	+0	+0	Choose Two Spells	Blood Lance, Leech, Purge Ailment
2nd	+1	+3	+0	+0	Choose Two Spells	Rend, Cannibalize, Miasma
3rd	+1	+3	+1	+1	Choose Two Spells	Scarification, Consume, Wither
4th	+2	+4	+1	+1	Choose Two Spells	Homunculus, Blood Cavity, Hemorrhage, Bloodfury
5th	+2	+4	+2	+1	Choose Two Spells	Impale, Siphon Life, Rejuvenate, Harden Skin
6th	+3	+5	+2	+2	Choose Two Spells	Blood Burst, Blood Bond, Contagion, Immobilize
7th	+3	+5	+2	+2	Choose Two Spells	Bloodrind, Devour, Bloodshard, Become Dust
8th	+4	+6	+2	+2	Choose Two Spells	Blood Boil, Freeze Blood, Living Puppet, Deadlock, Carapace
9th	+4	+6	+3	+3	Choose Two Spells	Twisted Host, Crimson Chrysalis, Resuscitate-Self, Bloodthirster, Rejuvenate Legion
10th	+5	+7	+3	+3	Choose Two Spells	Tribunal of Blood, Freeze Horde, Virulent Plague, Gorge, Scorched Earth, Pierce the World, Blood Avatar

Awaken Blood: The Blood Apostle has endured dark rites to access vile thaumaturgy that grants mastery over the manipulation of blood. Their abilities are tied to their life force and using one will require the sacrifice of their health or the health of others. However, so long as the Apostle has health remaining, abilities will have unlimited uses and their DCs will scale with their constitution modifier.

Remaining above 50% of their max health will increase the Apostle's normal damage abilities by 50%. Conversely, if they are below 50% of their max health, abilities that sap blood from enemies have their damage and healing increased by 50%. Using an ability that costs more health than the Apostle has will kill them. All self-harming abilities are unmitigable while all offensive abilities are physical damage and mitigated by DR/DI. Creatures without blood are immune to attacks that directly target a creature's blood.

Path of the Blood Knight

Thicken Blood: The Blood Apostle has learned to permanently thicken their blood, making their spell costs more efficient. Ability costs are reduced by 10%.

Empower Blood: The Blood Apostle has learned to permanently empower their blood, making their spell costs even more efficient. Ability costs are reduced by an additional 15% to make for 25% total.

Ravenous Thirst: The Blood Apostle's appetite has become insatiable. Every ability that heals or regenerates the Apostle now heals by an additional 50%.

Blood Apotheosis: The Blood Apostle has achieved the culmination of all blood thaumaturgy. They may now add their intelligence modifier to their class level for the purposes of calculating damage and duration spells.

Path of the Blood Mage

Blood Focus: The Blood Apostle has learned to focus their control over blood, empowering some of their abilities. Their level 1-4 abilities gain +2 to DC.

Greater Blood Focus: The Blood Apostle has learned even greater focus over blood, empowering additional abilities. Their level 5-8 abilities gain +2 to DC.

Superior Blood Focus: The Blood Apostle has learned true focus over blood, empowering all abilities. They gain +2 to all DCs.

Blood Apotheosis: The Blood Apostle has achieved the culmination of all blood thaumaturgy. They may now add their intelligence modifier to their class level for the purposes of calculating damage and duration spells.

Level 1 Options:

Blood Lance: The Blood Apostle has learned to focus their control over blood, empowering some of their abilities. Their level 1-4 abilities gain +2 to DC.

Required For: Impale
DC: 13 + con mod
Save: Reflex 1/2
Cost: 15 HP

Leech: The Blood Apostle makes a ranged touch attack to rip blood out of the target, dealing d4 physical damage per Apostle level and healing for the damage dealt.

Required For: Siphon Life

Purge Ailment: The Blood Apostle is able to remove maladies from their blood or the blood of an ally, removing ability decrease, attack decrease, damage decrease, saving throw decrease, skill decrease, blindness, deafness, disease, poison, and negative level.

Required For: Rejuvenate
Cost: 15 HP

Level 2 Options:

Rend: The Blood Apostle draws forth and hardens their blood into spiked projectiles that deal d8 physical damage per Apostle level to all nearby enemies.

Required For: Blood Burst
Radius: Large
DC: 13 + con mod
Save: Reflex 1/2
Cost: 50 HP

Cannibalize: The Blood Apostle may drain life from a nearby willing ally, sapping 50% of their current health that heals the Apostle.

Required For: Blood Bond
Cooldown: 1 minute

Miasma: The Blood Apostle inflicts an enemy's blood with a pestilent bloodhex, causing -2 to saves and 25% physical damage vulnerability. As a result, abilities that heal based on damage dealt heal 25% more against afflicted targets.

Required For: Contagion
DC: 13 + con mod
Save: Will vs Disease/Spell/Mind
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 50 HP

Level 3 Options:

Scarification: The Blood Apostle has learned to carve runes of power into their flesh. The scars grant 5/+5 DR and absorb damage equal to 5 plus Apostle level and then multiplied by their con mod. The runes upgrade at level 7 to 15/+5 DR and again at level 10 for 20/+5 DR. This ability cannot be dispelled.

Required For: Bloodrind
Cost: 75 HP

Consume: Passive. Every enemy with blood that the Blood Apostle kills with an ability restores 15 health.

Required For: Devour

Wither: The Blood Apostle drains their target of vitality with a bloodhex, causing them to slow and weaken. They suffer 2d3 str/dex/con ability drain, -3 to level, slow, and -3 AB. Freedom of Movement, Lesser Restoration, Restoration, and Haste are blocked by this effect.

Required For: Become Dust
DC: 13 + con mod
Save: Will vs Spell/Mind
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 50 HP

Level 4 Options:

Homunculus: The Blood Apostle creates a minion made from their own flesh and blood to do their bidding. The homunculus becomes stronger at level 7 and then again at level 10.

Required For: Twisted Host
Cost: 50% max health
Cooldown: 2 minutes

Blood Cavity: The Blood Apostle has learned to store blood inside pockets within their body. After doing so, their next ability costs no health. Additional uses are granted at levels 8 and 10 for a maximum of 3.

Required For: Resuscitate-Self
Cost: 50% max health
Cooldown: 1 minute

Hemorrhage: The Blood Apostle causes an enemy to begin bleeding excessively, taking d6 physical damage per half Apostle level every round for the duration. While the target hemorrhages, further single target abilities against them cost no health, deal 20% increased damage, and increase the DC by 4. As a result of the increased damage, abilities that heal based on damage dealt also heal the Apostle an additional 20%.
Required For: Bloodthirster

DC: 14 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Spell
Duration: 5 rounds
Cost: 65 HP Cooldown: 1 minute

Bloodfury: The Blood Apostle's blood burns hot in their veins. They fly into a rage, becoming a formidable warrior as they temporarily gain immunity to fear and bonus AB equal to 1 plus 1/3 their level.

Required For: Bloodshard
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 50 HP
Cooldown: 2 minutes

Level 5 Options:

Impale: The Blood Apostle draws forth a large portion of their blood to gore a single enemy with a powerful blow. This ability does 25% of the Apostle's current health as physical damage.

Required For: Pierce the World
DC: 14 + con mod
Save: Reflex 1/2
Cost: 10% current HP
Cooldown: 1 minute

Siphon Life: The Blood Apostle makes a ranged touch attack to briefly channel as they drain health from an enemy. The target has 20% of their current health stolen after a short time.

Required For: Tribunal of Blood
DC: 14 + con mod
Save: Fort 1/2
Cooldown: 1 minute

Rejuvenate: The Blood Apostle is able to purge maladies from their blood or the blood of an ally, removing ability decrease, attack decrease, damage decrease, saving throw decrease, skill decrease, blindness, deafness, disease, poison, and negative level. The target also undergoes an adrenaline rush, granting them haste.

Required For: Rejuvenate Legion
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 50 HP

Harden Skin: Passive. The Blood Apostle permanently toughens their skin, gaining 3/- damage reduction.

Required For: Carapace

Level 6 Options:

Blood Burst: The Blood Apostle sends out a wave of his blood at all nearby enemies, dealing d6 physical damage per Blood Apostle level. After a brief delay, they then draw the blood back and any blood from those struck, regaining health equal to the damage dealt to each enemy in the process.

Radius: Large
DC: 15 + con mod
Save: Reflex 1/2
Special: Temporarily lose 20 HP per enemy
Cooldown: 1 minute

Blood Bond: The Blood Apostle is able to bond themselves to a nearby willing ally, including summons. While the link persists, the ally shares half the cost of all Blood Apostle abilities.

Special: Must be in a party in the same area
Cooldown: 30 seconds

Contagion: The Blood Apostle inflicts all nearby enemy's blood with a pestilent bloodhex, causing -4 to saves and 25% physical damage vulnerability. As a result, abilities that heal based on damage dealt heal 25% more against afflicted targets.

Required For: Virulent Plague
Radius: Colossal
DC: 15 + con mod
Save: Will vs Disease/Spell/Mind
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 100 HP

Immobilize: The Blood Apostle paralyzes an enemy by placing a bloodhex on them. They are unable to act for the duration.

Required For: Deadlock
DC: 15 + con mod
Save: Will vs Spell/Mind
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 75 HP

Level 7 Options:

Bloodrind: The Blood Apostle can sacrifice some of their life force to create a sanguine sheen over their skin for protection. They gain a temp HP shield equal to 50% of their max health that cannot be dispelled.

Required For: Crimson Chrysalis
Duration: 5 minutes
Cost: 50% max HP
Cooldown: 5 minutes

Devour: The wounded Blood Apostle makes a ranged touch attack on a single enemy in an attempt to consume their life force. If the target fails their save, they explode into gore and the Apostle absorbs their remaining health.

Required For: Gorge
DC: 16 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Death/Spell
Special: This ability may only be used when below 50% max HP
Cost: 50% current HP
Cooldown: 2 minutes

Bloodshard: The Blood Apostle temporarily draws and empowers a shard of their own blood. The powerful spear forms in their grasp that may deal additional divine damage equal to half the Apostle's strength modifier. The weapon will then steal enemy health equal to the additional damage upon every successful strike. Killing an enemy with a bloodshard may also trigger the Consume ability if taken.

Required For: Blood Avatar
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 135 HP
Cooldown: 3 minutes

Become Dust: The Blood Apostle drains all nearby enemies of their vitality with a bloodhex, causing them to slow and weaken. They suffer -6 str/dex/con, -5 to level, slow, and -5 AB. Freedom of Movement, Lesser Restoration, Restoration, and Haste are blocked by this effect.

Radius: Colossal
DC: 16 + con mod
Save: Will vs Spell/Mind
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 135 HP

Level 8 Options:

Blood Boil: The Blood Apostle causes an enemy's blood to literally boil in their veins. The enemy must succeed their save or become incapacitated for 1 round, after which they explode and deal d20 fire damage per Apostle level to all nearby creatures. If an enemy should succeed their initial fort save vs death, their boiling blood will still result in half the fire damage, but no incapacitation or explosion.

Required For: Scorched Earth
Radius: Large
DC: 17 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Death/Fire/Spell
AoE Save: Reflex vs Fire 1/2
AoE Radius: Medium
Cost: 135 HP

Freeze Blood: The Blood Apostle freezes the blood in an enemy's veins, permanently turning them into a solid block of ice. Even if a target manages to resist, they still take d10 cold damage per Apostle level.

Required For: Freeze Horde
DC: 17 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Cold/Spell
Cost: 115 HP

Living Puppet: The Blood Apostle forcibly controls the target’s body with a bloodhex, temporarily making it an ally as a domination effect. If the target resists, it still has d8 physical damage per Apostle level inflicted from the manipulation of its blood.

DC: 17 + con mod
Save: Will vs Spell/Mind
Duration: 1 minute per level
Cost: 135 HP

Deadlock: The Blood Apostle paralyzes all nearby enemies by placing bloodhexes on them. They are unable to act for the duration.

Radius: Large
DC: 17 + con mod
Save: Will vs Spell/Mind
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 165 HP

Carapace: Passive. Jointed sections of tough keratin form into the Blood Apostle's skin, stacking an additional 3/- damage reduction.

Level 9 Options:

Twisted Host: Passive. The Blood Apostle creates an additional homunculus and all homunculi are empowered.

Crimson Chrysalis: The Blood Apostle encompasses themselves in a chrysalis of hardened blood that protects them from all harm for 2 rounds. While within, they cannot perform any actions, but they heal 25% of their max health plus 50% of their missing health. This ability cannot be dispelled.

Cooldown: 10 minutes

Resuscitate-Self: Passive. If the Blood Apostle should fall in combat, they are able to stabilize and slowly revive themselves to 1 HP over a short time. Each Blood Cavity available will restore 20% of their max health.

Cooldown: 1 hour

Bloodthirster: The Blood Apostle causes all nearby enemies to begin bleeding excessively, taking d6 physical damage per half Apostle level every round and healing for the damage dealt to each enemy. While a target hemorrhages, further single target abilities against them cost no health, deal 20% increased damage, and increase the DC by 4. As a result of the increased damage, abilities that heal based on damage dealt also heal the Apostle an additional 20%.

Radius: Large
DC: 18 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Spell
Duration: 5 rounds
Cost: 175 HP
Cooldown: 2 minutes

Rejuvenate Legion: The Blood Apostle is able to banish maladies from their blood and the blood of all nearby allies, removing ability decrease, attack decrease, damage decrease, saving throw decrease, spell resistance decrease, skill decrease, blindness, deafness, curses, diseases, poisons, paralysis, charms, domination, daze, confusion, fear, negative level, slow, entanglement, movement speed decrease, petrification, silence, and stuns. They also undergo an adrenaline rush, granting them haste.

Radius: Large
Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 175 HP

Level 10 Options:

Tribunal of Blood: The Blood Apostle makes a ranged touch attack against a target and then briefly channels as they perform a rite. If the target's save fails, the Apostle and the target swap their current health after a short delay. If the target has lower health than the Apostle or makes their save, the Apostle still siphons 20% of the target's current health.

DC: 19 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Spell
Cooldown: 5 minutes

Freeze Horde: The Blood Apostle freezes the blood in the veins of all nearby enemies, permanently turning them into solid blocks of ice. Even if a target manages to resist, they still take d10 cold damage per Apostle level.

Radius: Huge
DC: 19 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Cold/Spell
Cost: 250 HP

Virulent Plague: The Blood Apostle creates a fatal pestilence at their location to infect the blood of all nearby enemies. Inflicted targets fall prone for 1 round before succumbing to the plague.

Radius: Colossal
DC: 19 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Death/Disease/Spell
Cost: 250 HP

Gorge: The gravely injured Blood Apostle becomes ravenous and attempts to consume the life force of all nearby creatures. If a target fails their save, they explode into gore and the Apostle absorbs their remaining health.

Radius: Large
DC: 19 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Death/Spell
Special: This ability may only be used when below 30% max HP
Cost: 50% current HP
Cooldown: 5 minutes

Scorched Earth: The Blood Apostle causes the blood of all nearby enemies to literally boil in their veins. Each one must succeed their save or become incapacitated for 1 round, after which they explode and deal d20 fire damage per Apostle level to all nearby creatures. If an enemy should succeed their initial fort save vs death, their boiling blood will still result in half the damage, but no incapacitation or explosion.

Radius: Large
DC: 19 + con mod
Save: Fort vs Death/Fire/Spell
AoE Save: Reflex vs Fire 1/2
AoE Radius: Medium
Cost: 300 HP

Pierce the World: The Blood Apostle draws forth a large portion of their blood to gore all enemies in sight with powerful blows. This ability does 25% of the Apostle's current health as physical damage to each enemy.

Shape: 60 degree cone
Range: 20 meters
DC: 19 + con mod
Save: Reflex 1/2
Cost: 25% current HP
Cooldown: 1 minute

Blood Avatar: The Blood Apostle temporarily transforms into an exemplar of destruction. They gain immunity to knockdown, +4 AC, +10 regeneration, +1d8 physical damage, and maximum BAB for their level. While the spell persists, every enemy the Apostle kills grants +1 AB for 5 rounds. This ability cannot be dispelled.

Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level
Cost: 150 HP
Cooldown: 10 minutes

Ability Progression Requirements:

Blood Lance > Impale > Pierce the World
Leech > Siphon Life > Tribunal of Blood
Purge Ailment > Rejuvenate > Rejuvenate Legion
Rend > Blood Burst
Cannibalize > Blood Bond
Miasma > Contagion > Virulent Plague
Scarification > Bloodrind > Crimson Chrysalis
Consume > Devour > Gorge
Wither > Become Dust
Homunculus > Twisted Host
Blood Cavity > Resuscitate Self
Hemorrhage > Bloodthirster
Bloodfury > Bloodshard > Blood Avatar
Harden Skin > Carapace
Immobilize > Deadlock
Freeze Blood > Freeze Horde
Blood Boil > Scorched Earth